Teaming Opportunity for the Ground-Based Studies for Human Health in Space NASA Research Announcement (NNH04ZUU003N)
Description: NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners to develop proposals for the Ground-Based Studies for Human Health in Space (NNH04ZUU003N) NASA Research Announcement (NRA)
Synopsis: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) entitled, Ground-Based Studies for Human Health in Space (see http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_u/nra/current/NNH04ZUU003N/index.html ). This NRA solicits ground-based research for the Biomedical Model Systems (BMS) Program, a component of the Fundamental Space Biology Division and for the Biomedical Research and Countermeasures (BRC) Program, a component of the Bioastronautics Research Division, including the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI). This consolidated NRA supports the following goals and objectives of the NASA Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR):
(1) Understand the physiological mechanisms responsible for space-flight-related biomedical and behavioral changes in humans in support of countermeasure development;
(2) Develop countermeasures that allow humans to live and work in microgravity for long durations, minimize the risks in readapting to gravity, and optimize crew safety, well-being, and performance; and
(3) Identify, characterize, and mitigate health, environmental, and other operational human medical risks associated with space exploration.
NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking partners from other government agencies, industry, academia, and Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) to participate with NASA LaRC Principal Investigators (PI) in the Ground-Based Studies for Human Health in Space NRA to develop proposals and execute the development and validation of predictive assessment tool(s) and / or component and/or subsystem. Subject to the availability of funds, selected partner proposal(s) would result in the development and validation of predictive assessment tool(s) and / or component and/or subsystem contract(s). This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at no cost to NASA) conceptual designs, technical / clinical data, proposal input, project schedules and cost estimates consistent with the requirements of the NRA. Potential partners must demonstrate the capabilities and experience to develop and validate predictive assessment tools consistent and/or to develop and test instrument technologies with the efforts synopsized for each intended LaRC proposal. Partners must work collaboratively with NASA and other potential industry and academic partners to perform the required tasks. Partner selection(s) will be made by LaRC based on the following criteria in the following order of importance:
(1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability and availability of key personnel - This criteria evaluates the proposers relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform the development and key personnel available to support the development. Substantive evidence (points of contact and telephone numbers) of successful participation in similar developments should be included.
(2) Cost and schedule control - This criteria evaluates the proposers ability to control both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in this area.
(3) Facilities - This criterion evaluates the proposers facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss facility availability, access, and the ability to meet the proposed objectives.
The proposer should specify which LaRC technology proposal(s) they are addressing. Responses should be limited to 5 pages (12 point font) and address each of the criteria. Your responses should be sent to: NASA Langley Research Center, Attn: Lisa.C.Simonsen, Mail Stop 202, Building 1229, Room 202, Hampton, VA 23681. The preferred method of submission is via email to: Lisa.C.Simonsen@nasa.gov Procurement related questions should be directed to: Nancy M. Sessoms, Contracting Officer 757-864-2471 Nancy.M.Sessoms@nasa.gov The due date for submission is 4:00 p.m. local time July 16, 2004.
The following LaRC technology proposals are seeking partnerships. The technical requirements and NASA LaRC point of contact for questions are provided below:
(1) Predictive and Current State Measurement of Cognitive, Personality, and Psycho-Social Factors For Long-Duration Space Flight; Technical point of contact: Jon Jonsson, Ph.D. (email: Jon.E.Jonsson@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-2001
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of psychological tests which will provide both concurrent and predictive state measurement of cognitive, personality, and inter-personal factors for Long-Duration Space Flight. These flights, by their very definition, will involve human space travel over significant periods of time. The prolonged confinement in the space habitat, with the same personnel and operational routines that need to be accomplished during the mission may result in potential decrements in psychological well-being. This could include abnormal personality changes, increased frustration/aggression and decreased cognitive performance of critical mission activities. To address these critical issues and avoid the potentially negative psychological effects of extended space travel, periodic standardized psychological testing has been suggested as a method to determine each crew member’s current psychological health and as a diagnostic and predictive tool for identifying potential crew members who may have a higher probability of experiencing such problems in the future. Identification could lead to reduction and/or elimination of potential crew performance errors and identify those members who are experiencing psychological difficulties.
Partners are sought with expertise in psychometric testing, which should include development of standardized psychological tests, development of test items, and experience with the evaluation of test validity (both concurrent and predictive), reliability and performance. The partner must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners in developing psychological assessments that have the following characteristics:
•Standardized tests which will measure cognitive and personality variables that relate to mission critical tasks and crew interaction.
•Define and measure operational constructs such as “depression”, various mood states (antisocial, aggression, lethargy, etc), and “mission performance ability”.
•Demonstrate concurrent and predictive validity for environments which may be expected on long-duration space flight missions.
•Test development spanning the development of potential test items including: construct validity, cross-validation, inter-item reliability and validity analyses, factor analysis (both exploratory and confirmatory), uni- and multivariate statistical procedures and experimental design.
•Implementation of test(s) on a computerized platform that will score the astronaut’s responses and provide concurrent and predictive feedback in addition to logging the data.
Partners who have familiarity with standardized tests such as the MMPI-2 or MMPI and those with experience in psycho-social research for isolated environments are especially encouraged to reply.
(2) Development of an Ultrasonic Instrument to Noninvasively Measure Muscle Tone and Space Travel-Related Pathologies for Skeletal Muscles; Technical point of contact: William T. Yost (email: william.t.yost@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-4991
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of ultrasonic instrumentation to assess skeletal muscle health and pathologies related to long-duration space missions. These missions will involve long periods of weightlessness for space travelers that will affect muscle tone and movement capability upon return to locations and regions with gravitational fields or during periods of spaceship accelerative maneuvers. In order to maintain muscle resilience during long duration space flights, assessment of skeletal muscle tone and general skeletal muscle health, including possible assessment of injuries and their effects on compartments (compartment syndromes), will be needed.
Partners are sought with expertise in medical and ultrasonic technology and/or assessment of skeletal muscle pathologies. The partner(s) must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners to develop and test ultrasonic and other instrumentation with the following characteristics: Instrumentation systems and measurements for assessing, monitoring and archiving of space travelers’ skeletal muscle physiology, assessment of muscle pathologies that may develop from weightlessness conditions, assessment of precursors to the development of such muscle pathologies, and effects of possible counter measures. Systems package must be lightweight, easy to use, and compactly stowable. NASA Langley is especially interested in partners that have capability for and experience with conducting focused research and development work toward a demonstration with human subjects of technologies with the above specified characteristics.
(3) Physiological Conditioning Countermeasures through Recreation-Embedded Training for the Psychological Challenges of Long-Duration Space Missions; Technical point of contact: Lawrence Prinzel (email: Lawrence.J.Prinzel@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-2277
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of countermeasures for the psychological challenges of long-duration space missions. These extended missions will afford training opportunities for space travelers to reinforce and hone cognitive abilities, resilience under psychological stress, and effective mood states. However, the practice experience needs to be such that travelers will adhere to the training regimen throughout long-duration missions.
Partners are sought with expertise in physiological monitoring technology and physiological self-regulation training technology. The partner(s) must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners to develop countermeasure technologies with the following characteristics: Instrumentation systems for monitoring and archiving of space travelers’ central and autonomic nervous system function data; Instrumentation systems for supporting physiological self-regulation training to maintain and reinforce cognitive abilities, resilience under psychological stress, and effective mood states; Systems interface experienced as engaging and motivating throughout repeated training sessions on long-duration missions; Assessment technologies for validating physiological and psychological effectiveness of training as well as adherence to training; Systems package must be lightweight, easy to use, and compactly stowable. NASA Langley is especially interested in partners that have capability for and experience with conducting focused research and development work toward a demonstration with human subjects of countermeasure technologies with the above specified characteristics.
(4) Mechanical Systems Modeling of Musculoskeletal System in Microgravity Environment; Technical point of contact: Regina.L.Spellman (email: Regina.L.Spellman@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-7244
NASA Langley Research Center is proposing to develop a 3-D flexible body mechanical system simulation of the musculoskeletal system in the microgravity environment.
As such we are seeking partners to 1) develop material models representing the characteristics of bone and muscle in microgravity as input to the simulation and 2) enhance mechanism analysis simulation codes to allow for incorporation of advanced material models. Partners who have experience with LMS Virtual Lab Motion are especially encouraged to reply.
(5) Noninvasive Musculoskeletal & Intervertebral Training and Strengthening Tools and Techniques; Technical point of contact: Michael.D.Uenking (email: Michael.D.Uenking@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-6954
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of intervertebral and back soft tissue training and strengthening tools and techniques to help prevent and/or treat back pain and possible neurological complications related to injuries incurred during long-duration space missions. These missions will involve long periods of weightlessness for space travelers that will affect muscle tone and intervertebral movement capability upon return to locations and regions with gravitational fields or during periods of spaceship accelerative maneuvers. In order to maintain back soft tissue resilience and intervertebral functionality during long duration space flights, assessment of space mission physical activities that could potentially be detrimental to these body structures , including possible assessment of injuries and their effects on compartments (compartment syndromes), will be needed.
Partners are sought with expertise in structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships of the human body. The partner(s) must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners to develop and test any instrumentation/tools with the following characteristics: Instrumentation systems and measurements for assessing, monitoring and archiving of space intervertebral and back soft tissue physiology, assessment of intervertebral and back soft tissue pathologies that may develop from weightlessness conditions, assessment of precursors to the development of such intervertebral and back soft tissue pathologies, and effects of possible counter measures. Systems package must be lightweight, easy to use, and compactly stowable. NASA Langley is especially interested in partners that have capability for and experience with conducting focused research and development work toward a demonstration with human subjects of technologies with the above specified characteristics.
(6) Development of a Musculoskeletal Resistance Exercise/Training Device; Technical point of contact: Michael.D.Uenking (email: Michael.D.Uenking@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-6954
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of a musculoskeletal resistance exercise/training device to help overcome skeletal muscle pathologies related to long-duration space missions. These missions will involve long periods of weightlessness for space travelers that will affect muscle tone and movement capability upon return to locations and regions with gravitational fields or during periods of spaceship accelerative maneuvers.
Partners are sought with expertise in medical and physical training technologies and/or assessment of skeletal muscle pathologies. The partner(s) must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners to develop and test a musculoskeletal resistance exercise/training device with the following characteristics: Device that provides optimum muscle contraction and extension that attempts to duplicate the effects of earth's gravity and normal ground-based exercise machines and also provides a means of muscular physiological monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the various multiple exercise modalities provided by the device. Device must be lightweight, easy to use, and compactly stowable. NASA Langley is especially interested in partners that have capability for and experience with conducting focused research and development work toward a demonstration with human subjects of technologies with the above specified characteristics.
(7) The Development of a Display Systems for Reducing Astronaut Spatial Disorientation during Space Flight Operations; Technical point of contact: Douglas T. Wong (email:d.t.wong@larc.nasa.gov ) Phone: 757-864-4652
NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners for the development of techniques for minimizing astronaut disorientation during space operations. The areas of research will include developing display systems to reduce or eliminate astronaut spatial disorientation during space vehicle re-entry, approach, rollout, and landing to and from a 0-G to a partial G environment, as well as emergency egress, EVA, docking, and remote manipulation. NASA Langley is especially interested in partners that have the capabilities and experience with conducting focused research and development work for the relevant display technologies. In particular, partners are sought with expertise on: neurovestibular adaptation, vehicle spatial disorientation, visual perceptions, flight deck display systems, and motion based spacecraft simulator. The partner(s) must work collaboratively with government representatives and other potential industry and academic partners.
